CO129-495 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [11-12] — Page 230

remuneration while under training.

Commander Hartford has suggested verbally that without badges. My Lords would have no objection to a unify the "Volunteers" should wear Petty Officer uniform/generally similar to that of Petty Officers in the R.N.V.R. being wom by the volunteers but think it desirable that the unifor should have some distinctive marks indicating connection with the Colony of Hong Kong. Details could be settled by the Hong Kong Goverment and the Commander-in-Chief on the Station.

JOAN OF OFFICERS AND MN OF THE ROYAL NAVY.

My Lords recommend that 2 Warrant Officers and 13 ratings of the Royal Navy should be employed as permanent members of the orew, for maintenance, instructional and general purposes and will be prepared to allow Warrant Officers and ratings to volunteer for this employment. Particulars of these ranks and ratings are contained in Appendix 4.

These Officers and men should sign local engage- ments for service under the Hong Kong Goverment and the

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enclosed copies of forms of engagement for officers and men lent to the Royal Australian Navy might perhaps be adapted to local requirements (Appendices C and D).

It is presumed that the Hong Kong Goverment would offer the same emoluments as are paid in the Royal Navy and that in order to induce volunteers to come forward for this service they would also offer a special colonial allowance as recommended in para.VII of Colonial Office Secret Circular of the 12th December, 1923. An estimate of the average annual cost of this personnel to the Hong Kong Government is contained in Appendix A, but this estimate does not cover Colonial allowance or extra passage expenses due to occasional invaliding or the liability, which would rest with the Goverment of the Colony, for additional payments to officers and men or their dependents in respect of disablement or death attributable to service under the Hong Kong Government.

As......